


You Can't Win

by solidburnreturned



Category: Trolls (2016), Trolls World Tour (2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/F, Mind Control, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:02:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22552960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solidburnreturned/pseuds/solidburnreturned
Summary: Poppy is a captive of the rock trolls and their leader, Queen Barb..but not for long.(Part of a larger AU where Barb and Poppy knew each other beforehand and had a bit of a fling)
Relationships: Poppy/Barb (Trolls)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 104





	You Can't Win

**Author's Note:**

> ellie and mickey.......................this is for YOU

Queen Barb stalked her way down the hall with a ghoulish grin on her face, King Thrash and Riff excitedly following close behind. They were headed down to the private “high priority” dungeon to visit their very special captive. Barb had her new guitar slung over her back, adorned with all the strings of the troll kingdoms. Finally, her plan was coming to a head; and it was going to start with the Queen of Pop herself.

“Long time, no see, cake pop!” Barb laughed as she blew threw the heavvy steel doors, maybe just a bit overeager to get going. “You miss me, or what?”

Poppy jumped as the doors bashed into the walls, her fright quickly being replaced with defiance as the three rock trolls filed in. “Barb...let me go!” Her pink hands gripped the bars of her cell fruitlessly. 

Barb’s smile seemed to falter for just a moment before she shrugged, sauntering over to lean an arm up over her head on the bars. “Or what?” She said lowly.

Poppy did not relent, returning the stare Barb was drilling into her. “You’re gonna regret this. This isn’t right!”

“I’ll tell you what’s not right!” Thrash rasped, zooming over next to Barb in his wheelchair. “You _pop trolls_ have had it all for too long. It’s about time to get some rock rolling!”

Poppy was still unflinching. “You’re going to destroy us all.” She looked away from Thrash to return her gaze to Barb. “It doesn’t have to be this way.”

Barb was silent for a moment before stepping back. Her eyes did not leave Poppy, though they did look her up and down. “You have no idea,” was growled through clenched teeth.

“You’ll feel differently pretty soon,” Riff snickered, scooting up on Barb’s right side. “Might even agree with us!”

Confusion dawned over Poppy’s face. Again, she shifted her eyes back to Barb. The rock queen revealed nothing through her features, but did seem...oddly apprehensive. Poppy decided to stay silent, dread creeping up into her gut. Something wasn’t right.

“Well?” Thrash barked, jolting Barb out of her one-sided staring contest. “Get on with it, then!” 

“Gimme a sec,” She hissed, swinging the guitar around to her front and grabbing it by the neck. 

She hesitated and let her staring continue. Poppy looked paler at the sight of the guitar, the tremble in her knees just barely visible in the low light. Barb’s palms started to sweat. Gosh. This was happening. Quickly, too. With a thick swallow, Barb took an involuntary step back, looking towards the door.

“...What’s the matter?” Riff asked, also shooting a look towards the slightly-ajar door. 

“...Uh...Thought I heard something.”

“Like what?” Thrash was now also craning his tired old neck to take a peek. “Some foolhardy pop troll coming for their little princess?”

“I can check, if you want,” Riff volunteered. 

Barb nodded vigorously with another gulp. “Yeah, yeah, go check. And double check while you’re at it, some of those trolls from that village run small.” Then, after a split second of thought, Barb turned to her father. “You go guard the door from the other side, just in case they slip pass him.”

Both rock trolls nodded and rushed out the door, shutting it behind them with a definitive bang. As soon as she heard it click and Riff’s footfalls disappeared down the hall, Barb turned back to Poppy, her hands now grasping the bars above her’s.

“Rule with me.”

Poppy was visibly taken aback. _“What?”_

_“_ I...Listen, this can all go away. We can dominate as the queens of rock...we’ll destroy what’s kept us apart.” A shaking, clammy hand was offered desperately through the bars. “ _Rule with me.”_

Speechlessness seized Poppy. Her eyes traveled over Barb’s hand, up her arm, over that torn ear and coming to rest on those glowing pink eyes that were full of anticipation and anxiety. “...Barb...” She finally choked out before being cut off:

“Please, Poppy.” She hastily checked over her shoulder. “They’re gonna be back any second. If you don’t say yes, I-I...just don’t make me do this.”

Dread was now boiling into fear. “...do what? Barb-”

“Please!” Her outstretched fingers curled. “We can be happy together this way. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

Poppy took a step back, shaking her head slowly. “No, Barb...no, we can’t- This isn’t right, we...we both know that. Please, just...whatever you’re gonna do, we can talk it out-”

Before either could get out another room, Riff and Thrash reentered, both with eager grins on their faces. 

“All clear!” Riff cheered. “Didn’t get to the fun part without us, did you?”

Barb, taking a moment to collect herself, backed away from the cell and jerked a half smile onto her face. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Let’s get on with it then, the kingdom is already gathering by the volcano,” Thrash said, impatience wrestling with his excitement. “Let’s give them what they want.”

Sweat began beading on Poppy’s brow as she continued to back up, shadows now looming over her hunched figure. “Barb...Barb, please, get on with _what?_ What are you talking about?”

Silently, Barb pulled a guitar pick from her hair, adjusting the heavy instrument hanging around her shoulders. The hair on Poppy’s body stood on end. Barb could see the fear building on Poppy’s face; could hear her breathing growing shallow and rapid as she flattened her back against the far wall. She was scaring her. Poppy was terrified of her. Barb’s smile slid away.

“Barb...please-”

“Hurry up!” Thrash snapped.

“Please...!”

Barb turned at a snail’s pace to the side, aiming the head of the guitar at Poppy and raising her hand above the waiting strings. 

Poppy collapsed to the ground with a sob and a flurry of dust. “Please don’t hurt me...”

While Riff and Thrashed broke out into cackles, Barb almost gagged. She couldn’t take this anymore. Deaf to Poppy’s begging, Barb closed her eyes as she shot her hand down in a heavy strum, the chord not quite drowning out Poppy’s shrill scream as a blast of red and white energy careened out of the guitar in a powerful bolt. It hit Poppy dead center, the force of the impact pushing the rock trio back a handful of steps. A blinding light made them all look away for just a few moments before dying away with the fading notes from the guitar. Coughing from the dust, Barb squinted at Poppy’s unmoving silhouette in the dark and debris. Riff and Thrash leaned forward and jolted back just as quickly as two glowing crimson orbs lit up the darkness.

“I’m ready to rock, my queen.”

The breath that Barb had been unknowingly holding was released in a heavy gust. A small smile even came over her face. “Poppy?”

The now grungy-pink troll shuffled back into the light. Her pink hair was a wild mess and streaked with black, pulled back with a spiked headband (except for a decent chunk obscuring the left side of her face). Her sky blue dress was now a torn up jean skirt and a leather tank top. Her piercings, belt buckle, and fishnets even matched Barb’s. She stood there vacantly, face at a neutral and eyes completely red.

Conflict raged in Barb. She barely registered Riff and Thrash’s celebratory yells and slaps on her back. Here she was, Barb’s new partner in crime...standing completely still and unresponsive. Her grin fell. 

“Wow, it worked great!” Riff said, staring at Poppy in awe. “She’s a totally different troll!”

“A huge improvement, if you ask me,” Thrash added. He looked up at Barb, beaming. “I’m proud of you, Barb.”

Barb barely nodded in acknowledgement. “...Now what.”

Riff gasped and bounced in place. “Make her do something!”

“...Uh...” Barb shifted the guitar to rest against her back once more before hurriedly unlocking the cell door. Poppy made no move to exit. “...Poppy, step out.”

Poppy immediately did as she was told, standing directly before Barb. 

Thrash let out a squawk of laughter. “Poppy, bow to your queen!” Poppy dropped to one knee without question. “Lower!” Poppy’s nose touched the floor as she bowed deeper; Barb’s ears folded back. 

“My turn!” Riff cheered before tapping his chin in thought. “Uh...um...hrm...Poppy, do- uh, no...um...” Barb gave him an ugly look, face going from almost colorless to nearly purple. “Oh! I got it! Poppy, give us some horns!”

From her position on the floor, Poppy raised her hands up over her head, displaying the iconic rock hand symbol. 

“Stand up,” Barb muttered. 

Poppy did, returning to her previous stance with eerily smooth movement. 

“Are her eyes gonna stay like that?” Barb grumbled as she squinted.

“Who cares,” Thrash said, rolling over to Poppy’s side as he looked her up and down. “She’s a bona fide rock troll now. At least on the outside.” He shot a glimpse at Barb. “She’ll do whatever ‘her queen’ asks without question.”

She couldn’t look away. It was like some sort of train wreck...except completely planned. Sort of. The new look wasn’t half bad, and the total silence was a world of difference from Poppy’s usual chatterbox self. A totally different troll was standing before her. Barb could feel her throat tighten.

“Uh. I’m gonna go over the set list and stuff with her. You guys can head out,” Barb ordered, shooting them both an authoritative look. 

Riff gave her horns before ambling out, more than excited for the rock show. Thrash hesitated, narrowing his eyes at his daughter before finally turning his chair and slowly rolling out. Barb waited a moment, ears swiveled back to hear the rattle of that old chair to make sure it was no longer audible as he moved farther away. Once she was sure that she and Poppy were alone, she began circling the pink troll, mouth slightly agape. 

“...Poppy...”

“My queen.” 

Barb paused once again in front of her. “...say my name.”

“Queen Barb.”

“ _Just_ my name.”

“Barb.”

The razor sharp edge in Poppy’s voice grated on Barb’s ears. “...again.”

“Barb.”

Her eyebrows knitted together as she attempted a softer smile. “...did you miss me?”

Poppy seemed unsure of how to answer, opening her mouth slightly before closing it again, adjusting her balled fists. Barb blinked. Her eyes stung.

“ _Tell me_ you missed me.”

“I missed you, my queen.”

“Stop calling me that,” Barb sighed, frustrated. “and...for God’s sake, stop _talking_ like that.” 

Poppy did not react. Barb moved closer to her face, studying it. The familiar softness to Poppy’s face...the warm grin that always sat there, the gentle arch of her eyebrows, the adorable perk of her ears...all replaced with hardness. It churned her stomach. A trembling hand reached up to brush Poppy’s bangs from her face. The silky texture to her hair was gone, too. It was like caressing straw. Was that how her own hair felt?

“...Poppy, look at me.”

She snapped her head over to face Barb directly. Barb almost jumped. Those godawful eyes...

She cleared her throat. “I-I...” She sucked in a quaking breath. “...tell me you love me.”

Poppy crinkled her nose, but still uttered “I love you,” all the same.

Barb’s face twisted. It was wrong. Where was the emotion? That sweet layer of sugar that coated every word that left her mouth? What was this...this _hollowness_ that was leaving her? That enveloped her? Barb craved her bubbly, sparky personality. Her tight hugs and love for teasing and playful bickering. Her headstrong nature. Just...Poppy. _Her_ Poppy. A knife was sinking into Barb’s chest as she stared deeper into those soulless eyes. 

Her hands grabbed the sides of Poppy’s face... _where was the softness to her skin? “_ Say it again. Say it like you mean it...please.”

Poppy blinked. “I love you.”

Nothing. Absolute vacancy. The knife twisted deeper. “I love you,” Barb whispered before heaving a sob. “I love you, Poppy. God...Poppy, come back to me...”

“I’m here, Barb.”

Another strangled sob. “Oh my God...” Barb collapsed to her knees, falling apart completely as her rouge dripped in rivers down her face. “Please... _please..._ ” Her fists were clenched around the fabric of Poppy’s skirt, head bowed between her arms as her body was wracked with sobs. “I didn’t...I didn’t want this...I wanted _you...”_

_“_ I am yours, my queen.”

Now Barb was really starting to lose it. “Stop! Stop talking!” Her hands were lost in her rad mohawk. “I just wanted us to be together! Why can’t we have that?!” She looked up at Poppy with stinging eyes. “Why can’t we just have each other?!”

Unmoving, Poppy stared down at Barb’s crumpled form. Barb couldn’t take it. It was like talking to a stranger. A cold, empty shell of the troll she’d been so desperate to be with for so many years. Now here was this...thing before her. There was no Poppy left in this monster. All she did was remind Barb of that last look Poppy gave her; a look of utter betrayal and terror. And now there was nothing left. 

She’d lost Poppy again.

**Author's Note:**

> weeps.............i swear i'll write something sweet and kind for them soon hjkgflfr
> 
> comments and kudos appreciated!


End file.
